Improvement in pneumatic signaling apparatus



AJCHAMBE-RS.

PNEUMATIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented March 28,18

V172 V612 Z: or

NJEI'ERS. PHOTO-UTNOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

FICLI.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIon.

AUSTIN CHAMBERS, OF 258 MARYLEBONE ROAD, GREAT BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN PNEUMATIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,423, dated March28, 1876 application filed November 18, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that I, AUSTIN CHAMBERS, of No. 258 Marylebone Road, in thecounty of Middlesex, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, signalengineer, have invented Improvements in Pneumatic Signaling Apparatusfor Railways, of which the following is a specification:

This invention has for its object improvements in pneumatic signalingapparatus for railways, and has reference, mainly, to improvementsupon'and further developments of the invention forming the subject ofLetters Patent granted to me the 11th day of May, 1875, No. 163,152, inwhich the semaphore-arms or signaling objects or bodies areoperatedpneumatieally, in such wise that, when the pressureof theexternal atmosphere prevails in the pipes, tubes, or passagesestablishing communication between the signaling station or place andthe device which moves the semaphore-arm or other signaling object, thelatter is in the position indicative of danger.

My present invention relates to the application and use, in the mannerhereinafter described, of valves operating in conjunction with orificesin the elastic fluid-containing portions of the apparatus, said valvesbeing actuated by the moving over of the levers by which the signals aregoverned in such manner as that, when any one of the said levers is inthe position corresponding to the danger position of the signal, thevalve governed by that lever shall be open, thereby establishing andmaintaining the atmospheric pressure within the fluid-containingportions of the apparatus.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows a signaling apparatus embodying myinvention, in which the concurrence of persons at three distinct andseparate points or places is an essential preliminary to the moving ofthe signal into the safety or pass-on position. Fig. 2 is a plan to areduced scale, showing the relative positions of the three severallevers. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detached sectional views of the valvearrangements.

a is the signal-post 5 b, the semaphore-arm,

to which is rigidly attached the frame I), carrying the colored glassesb b 0 is the lamp; d, the rod for operating the signal-arm from thecollapsible vessel 6; f, the air-pipe, communicating with thecompressors g and g, and

with the nozzle f provided with an elastic seat, f in connection withwhich is arranged a heavy valve, h, carried by the arm 6 of a lever, 1',having its fulcrum at '5 The compressors gand g are operated, as shown,by means of similar levers 11 Each of the compressors g and g has itsmovable end weighted, and has an aperture in such end, provided with avalve, 1 In the case ofthe compressor 9 the valve is arranged to openinward, and is closed by a spring, m, as shown. In the case of thecompressor 9 the valve i is carried at one end of a small lever, n,having its fulcrum at n and weighted at 11?.

When the compressors are expanded the valves will, in both cases, beopened by the stem or lever carrying the valve coming in contact with astop or frame, 0. Thus the establishment within the fluid-containingportions of the apparatus of the pressure of the external atmospherewill be insured. The same result is obtained by the moving over in thedirection of the arrow of the lever i, whereby the weighted va'lve h israised from its seat. The arrangement of the valve, as shown, in thecompressor 9 also serves to admit air to the compressor on the returnmovement of the hand-lever, to facilitate the expanding of the vessel.

In Fig. 1 the whole of the levers are in the position corresponding tothe safety or pass on" position of the signal, the two compressors beingcollapsed and the whole of the valves closed. It will be evident that,on any one of the levers being moved over, the corresponding valve willbe opened, the pressure of the external atmosphere established in theair-containing portions of the apparatus, and the sig' nal so moved intothe horizontal or danger position.

It will be evident that the apparatus may be readily modified so thatthe signal shall be moved into the safety position on raretying the airin the apparatus instead of by compression.

Having described the nature of my said invention and the manner ofperforming it, I claim- 1. In a pneumatic signaling apparatus forrailways, the combination, with an orifice in the elasticfluid-containing portion of the apparatus, ot' a valve so arranged inrelation to the said orifice, and in connection with a signal-operatinghand-lever, as that, on the lever being moved over to make the dangersignal, said valve shall be caused to leave its seat and open theelastic fluid-containing portion of the apparatus to the externalatmosphere, thereby establishing the atmospheric pressure in theapparatus, to insure the assumption of the danger position by thesignal.

2. The combination, with the semaphorearm I), collapsible vessel 0, andpipe f, of the compressor g, With its valve 1 spring m, stop 0, andlever 71, the compressor 9, with its valve l lever a, stop or frame 0,and lever 1' and the valve h, with its level: '5 6 operating inconnection with the elastic seat j in the nozzle f all substantially asand for the purposes specified.

3. In arailway-signaling apparatus having a collapsible compressor, anda pipe, tube, or passage charged with elastic 'fluid for operating, bychange of fluid-pressure, a semaphorearm or its equivalent, a valveoperating in connection with an orifice in the end of the compressor,and so arranged in relation to a stop or stud that, when and so long asthe compressor is in its expanded condition, the valve shall bemaintained in its opened position, thereby establishing and maintainingthe atmospheric pressure Within the compressor until the latter is againmoved or compressed, substantially as described.

AUSTIN CHAMBERS.

